1000 Great Rail-Trails, 3rd: A Comprehensive Directory (Paperback)

by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"This 50-state guide offers by far the most thorough coverage of [the] growing [rails-to-trails] phenomenon." --Money magazine (praise for the first edition)
-- Review

Review

"This 50-state guide offers by far the most thorough coverage of [the] growing [rails-to-trails] phenomenon." --Money magazine (praise for the first edition)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: Globe Pequot; 3rd edition (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762728191
• ISBN-13: 978-0762728190
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #738,371 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars 1000 Great Rail-Trails, 3rd: A Comprehensive Directory, September 13, 2005

By	Ken Gonzalez (PA) - See all my reviews

Wow seems like a great deal to get all the Rail-To-Trail in the United States but its not! It does provide a list of all the trails but its very limited. It's basically a list of Trials (about 5 trials on each page). It provides almost no information about the trials expect for the mileage and the surface. It fails to give you the exact starting points, it only list the town names as the starting points. It would be nice to know the exact address for the starting points. It does not give you any idea as to the grade or time it will take for the ride or the level of difficulty or even a map of the trial. This book is not worth the money. Stick with the individual state rail-to-trail guides.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I wouldn't call it comprehensive, but it is valuable resource, April 7, 2006

By	John T Wolfe "tw" (gateway to the west) - See all my reviews

The book is chaptered by state and each state has a greyish picture of that particular state with little numbers placed on it to show you about where the trail will be. You then find that number in the chapter to find out more info.

The numbers are sometimes scattered like 4,25,42 for a similiar area. I do wish they had been a little better on their grouping of numbers. Instead of numbering alphabetically, each area should have its own set of numbers like instead of 4,25,42 have that area part of the 20s. Maybe even number starting from the north of the state and heading south. This way I don't have to flip back and forth in the chapter to find trails in the same area. While the alphabetical helps when looking for a specific trail by name, most times I'm looking at area not names. Maybe break each state up in sections, north, central, and south. That way you can have alphabetical, but also a better grouping of trails together.

each listing gives the name of the trail its end points, mileage, surface, usage (such as hiking, biking, horses, etc), location, and contact info.

The end points need to be more clear it will only list the city or cities the trail starts and ends at. Thus if a trail stays within one city it will only show that city as end point. Occasionally you'll get a street name, but more often then not you won't. There needs to be a bit more clarity, all listings need a street address for their start and end.

The rest of the info is sufficient enough. Telling me basically what I need to know. The contact info will give me names, address, and even a website if available.

The only thing I could readily think of to add to the info beyond the expansion of the end points was to add parking areas for the trails. Parking areas are not always at the end points. Its nice to know where parking areas are. While I could contact the number provided, many of the numbers would be a 9-5 number. As well as, if the listing would at least tell me how many parking areas along a trail. Though adding the address to at least a couple of the more popular parking areas or ones with water and restroom. It could say parking area: 5 and then give me at least addresses for 1 or 2 of them. As an example, a trail near where I live has three parking areas. One at its start point and two along the way, but not one at the end point. Out of these three, one has restrooms, the other has only a drinking fountain, and the third has nothing but a map. If you were to at least list 1 or 2 of these parking areas it would be helpful.

A comparison of sorts...
The book,Biking USA Rail-Trails, is put together a bit better then this as far as format, but it has slightly different listings and not all are true rail-trails. While, 1000 Great Rail-Trails, doesn't have the lines depicting the trail on the map, nor does it have any pictures, the layout isn't put in a pretty graph, and it doesn't have the extra facts info such as cross-country trails, trails that run along rails, and other various info, what it does have is a pretty complete list of all the rail-trails. Though there are some difference in listings between the books. Biking USA has listings that aren't necessarily a rail-trail, but are useful to have, such as Biking USA lists two trails near my area that are both over 20 miles long and run along the river, 1000 great rail-trails does not show these. Though they aren't true rail-trail paths it is nice to know of them. While 1000 great rail-trails list at least 5 trails that aren't in the Biking USA.

Thus in my opinion to get a more comprehensive biking trail directory you should have both this book and Biking USA rail-trails. They compliment each other well.

This book is put together by the rails to trails conservancy (http://www.railtrails.org/)

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent trip-planning resource!, May 12, 2007

By	C. Parton - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book contains summary information for each trail, to make it possible to plan a bicycling trip across America! And it also gives local contact numbers, web addresses, and other essentials. This is a must-have for bikers who love peace and nature.